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NEWS-PRESS FILEA transient sits on a bench in downtown Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office is organizing a drive to provide sleeping bags and warm clothing for the homeless.
The Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office is organizing a drive to collect sleeping bags and warm clothing for those experiencing homelessness this winter.
More than 1,900 people are homeless in the county, according to the office.
To help these individuals and families stay warm, the Public Defender’s Office is accepting donations of sleeping bags, hats, gloves, jackets, clothing, socks, shoes, hygiene products, thermal underwear, scarves and backpacks.
New or lightly used donations are being accepted during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Public Defender’s offices.
The Santa Barbara office is located at 1100 Anacapa St. The Santa Maria office is located at 312-P East Cook St., Building A.
Physical donations may be made through 5 p.m. Dec. 12.
Financial donations will also be accepted for the purchase of new sleeping bags and undergarments, and are tax-deductible through the Public Defender’s partnership with Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara.
Financial donations may be made online through the following website: 2022 Sleeping Bag Drive/Family Service Agency (givebox.com). Donations of items will not be accepted at the Family Service Agency.
To receive donated goods, homeless individuals will need to attend a distribution event from noon to 2 p.m. Dec. 15 or until supplies last at each office of the Public Defender.
Homeless outreach teams and community partners are currently working to inform clients of the donations that will be made available to them at the event.
For more information, contact the County Public Defender’s office. In Santa Barbara, call 805-568-3470; in Santa Maria, call 805-346-7500.
For more information, go to www.countyofsb.org.
email: nhartstein@newspress.com
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